Eye of the Predator
by Repto
Summary: Miraculously, Otto survives the waters and comes back better than ever. But a change has overcome him, can he get over the fact he might have to ask for the tentacles help? What will become of him this time? Read to find out!
1. Default Chapter

The Return of Doc Ock

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. I do not own Otto but oh how I wish I did.

Note: This takes place after the movie. Right when Otto is electrocuted. And he finds the voices in his head are no longer normal. If you haven't read the Spiderman 2 novelization and you want to read it. I suggest not reading the prologue. Even though it's slightly different it's mostly like the ending.

Summary: Otto takes the opportunity of drowning the fiery orb so he can die and see the love of his life, Rosie. His life was ruined thanks to accident in his work. But miraculously, he survives the boiling waters to live yet another day.

Prologue

The spike punctured the cable...and the tentacles snapped open, releasing Spider-Man as they were jolted with enough voltage to light up Soho.

They writhed and twisted, and it had to be the mechanisms of the tentacles grinding against one another that made it sound as if the thing were shrieking. But damned if that wasn't what they sounded like. Like living creatures screaming in agony.

**Father, help us! Help us! We don't want to die! Save us!**

Yes, don't worry! I'll...

**Father!**

Who...

**Father, no!**

..._are you...what are...what did you do to me...?_

**Father, you know us.**

Oh my God...what have you...

**Don't talk like that!**

..._done...to me...to..._

**We did what you wanted! We loved you and made you, you ungrateful cretin. Don't you dare turn against us! Oh Father, we are sorry...we should not treat you like the sniveling coward, yes, coward that you are, and Father help us and go to hell...Ah, God it huuurrrts...**

And suddenly, Otto felt himself fly backwards through the air from the force of the electrical blast. He fell with a crash on the rotten boards of the pier, which easily cracked from the sudden wait, making him sink into the cold and smelly water.

He gasped aloud at the sudden shock of the water up to his chest, and sat up, not knowing why his back was aching so badly. He was having trouble comprehending exactly where he was, or what he was doing there. He looked at the paralyzed tentacles lying near him. He picked one up, held it for a moment, and stared at it. Then he let it drop. It just lay there impotently.

His brain felt fried, his actions seemed sluggish. His mind was sluggish. Too tired and overwhelmed at what just happened, ignoring the cries of Spider-Man.

"Doctor Octavius?"

Finally, Octavius vaguely looked up and saw Spider-Man standing nearby. He registered his presence with mild interest as his brain continued to try to put together the pieces of the puzzle of what had gone on and what had brought him to this rather smelly place at this particular time.

Then he looked beyond Spider-Man to the massive fusion reaction. Bits and pieced of memory of memory started flooding back to him, bathed in the light of knowledge generated by this, his greatest creation.

He looked upon it, and smiled, and found it good.

The fusion reaction was growing larger by the minute and all manner of debris was pulled to it. Spider-Man kept yelling at him but found no triumph over getting Otto's attention. It was as if Octavius were stuck in some sort of waking coma.

As Otto dwelled on the confusing thoughts he was gathering in his head, he was vaguely aware of Spider-Man desperately trying to get his attention. Suddenly, he saw Spider-Man pull of his mask and Otto could see the man's face. It was Peter.

Peter's face was filled with hope once he saw he had Octavius's attention. "Doctor Octavius...we have to shut it down. Please tell me how."

"Peter Parker," Otto responded hollowly. "Brilliant, but lazy."

"Look at what's happening," Peter told him with a sweep of his arm. "We have to destroy it."

This brought a series of bellows in his mind from his tentacles. Befuddled he started to argue with them in his mind.

**Father! Do not listen to him!**

Why?

**He speaks madness. We cannot destroy it! Think of how hard we worked!**

How...hard we worked? Yes...But this is Peter...

**He never believed in you! And now he wants to destroy all your work! Your experiment!**

No... he can't...Peter is smart...

**Resist him Father! He speaks lies! We must kill him!**

_Kill...him?_

**Yes Father! We will kill him for you! We shall make you proud again!**

_...Kill him? Yes..._

Slowly, Otto shook his head. "I can't destroy it." His voice rose in anger. "I won't!"

The arms reared up now, impelled by Ock's sudden resistance. They grabbed Peter by the throat, lifting him up.

Peter fought against the stranglehold they had upon him. "You...once spoke to me about intelligence... That it was a gift...to be used for the good of mankind..."

The arms hissed in disapproval as Ock echoed his own words. "A privilege..."

Doing everything he could to fight the arms off, Peter knew he was on the losing end of the battle of man against machine. "These things...have turned you into something you're not! Don't listen to them!"

**Curse him! Father...oh Father. He speaks lies to you.**

**Do not listen to the boy, he does not know what he's talking about!**

**Father...**

Otto tried to block out their voices. "But... it was my dream," Ock said, his own voice strangled, as if he were fighting a battle that was as much between himself and the arms as it was between the arms and Spider-Man.

"It...didn't work..." Peter managed to say, and there was a thundering in his head as if something was riding toward him upon a pale horse.

**Don't listen! Preposterous! It is working! Look at it...he's just a meddlesome boy.**

_It didn't... it didn't work? No... it didn't work did it..._

**Father!**

Peter's right...

**FATHER!**

And then-as if emerging from a very bad dream- Otto Octavius woke up.

At least that was how it seemed to Peter.

Octavius shook his head as if he was tossing aside a shroud. He murmured, "You're right," and then snapped at the arms, "He's right! Listen to me now!"

He grabbed the tentacles with his own, very human arms, and pried the mechanical appendages loose. Most of the work was already done, though. If that hadn't been the case, his flesh-and-bone hands would never have been a match for the machine strength of the tentacles. His turnaround was what had undone them. They sagged and shrunk away from him, like errant children caught with their...pincers...in the cookie jar.

Peter staggered back, gasping grateful amounts of air. His voice was raspy as he leaned forward and rested his hand on Otto's shoulder. "Now...tell me how...to stop it."

Octavius shook his head helplessly. "It can't be stopped." But then, as Peter opened his mouth to plead with the scientist to make up a solution, Octavius said, "Unless...the river. Drown it."

"Drown it? That simple?"

"Not so simple," Octavius assured him. "It'll superheat the water...create temperatures like an underwater volcano. Broil anyone nearby like a lobster. Whoever tries to submerge it...its suicide."

Octavius saw Peter's mind working hard, seeing the boy's mind whirling. He saw a look of fear being shoved away without hesitation as he said, "I'll do it."

As Peter turned towards the direction of the reaction, Octavius had his tentacle clamp down on the boy's arm. He felt Peter go tense as he started to walk forward. Then Otto spoke, his voice low and firm with conviction, "It's my responsibility." At this command, the tentacle shoved Peter aside as Otto shot him a desperate look.

Turning his back towards the boy, Otto made his way towards the fiery orb, his mind set on what he had to do, aware of the fact that his arms were hanging limp with silent dejection. He paid the woman's scream no mind, knowing Peter would probably hop to his part.

He felt the heat more with every step he took. But he found he wasn't scared as much as he should have been. He found he sort of did want to die, that he would see Rosie again up in heaven.

He edged his way underneath the orb and once again he heard his tentacles start to talk in his mind.

**Father...must we do this?**

_Yes. And no back talk. You've misbehaved and done great evil. But so have I. And we will do our penance together._

The tentacles yanked at the critical load-bearing girder that supported the fusion reactor. They were doing all the work, feeling their way on their own. They had to. Otto Octavius was blind, his vision seared from his eyes through the intensity of the glowing ball hanging in the air. He didn't care. It didn't matter. He could "see" it in his mind's eye, see it clearly...see everything clearly. All the wrong he had done in the pursuit of doing something right. He had thought he was a Samaritan, acting on behalf of humankind. Now, though, he understood. He had placed his ego above all else, thinking he knew best, when he knew so little, if anything at all.

He had been blind in everything _but_ his eyes. Now the blindness was complete...only now was he truly able to see.

"_I will not die a monster!_" he screamed, his own shout mixing with the screech of metal, and the fiery fusion reactor toppled over, it's giant crescents ripping through the floor. Knowing he'd never get clear in time, Octavius didn't even bother. Instead, clutching the reactor, he plummeted with it into the water below. Before he touched the water, a smile formed upon his lips as his last thought came to mind, _Rosie...I'm coming!_

They struck the water, and there was a blast of heat beyond anything his mind could register. The entire structure of the pier folded upon itself, dragged down into the East River by the dying pull of the reactor.

**Father! We are frightened! Hold us!**

But there was no one there to reply.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Ock or the tentacles... yada yada yada

Thank you for all the reviews! I'm enjoying them.. I hope this works now... I'm trying to get this as the next chapter and I'm only guessing this is how you do it. rolls eyesChapter 1.

Otto shivered slightly, feeling a cool breeze ruffle his hair. His thoughts were tired and dazed, but then a frown formed upon his brow, his eyes still closed. He felt something brush against him

He jerked slightly, and felt as if he was brushing up against a sandy beach. Frowning still, he started murmuring... "I don't feel well...where am I? Rosie?"

Slowly, he opened his eyes wearily and saw...nothing. A complete blackness like he never even opened his eyes. He gasped with horror and furiously rubbed his eyes, as if thinking cloth was over it...like the day in the operating room. For a moment, he wondered if it was just a moonless night but he heard the birds twittering in the trees.

His mind started to work furiously, and he remembered the pier. He had done the suicide mission. No one was able to survive such a thing...but then. He didn't feel as if he was dead. When you died... did you not feel any aches or pains anymore? Wouldn't he be able to see? "Didn't I die... my eyes? I cannot see..." He murmured to himself, starting to panic when something icy cold brushed against his shoulder, where part of his coat was ripped.

"What..."

**Shhh...Father. You have survived because of us. We saved you!**

Otto blanched, mentally hearing the unmistakable voice penetrate his thoughts. He knew. He knew that he had not died, but somehow, miraculously lived. All because of his arms. All because of this hideous invention he had made.

**Shhh... Father. You did not want to die... we saved your life. We could not let you die when we could've easily saved you.**

"No. No. How could you... why? Why couldn't I die?!" He whimpered in anguish out loud.

**Father, we protected you from the broiling heat... We swam away to the surface so that you could live once more. Are you not proud of what we did?**

He only moaned, closing his eyes, hating the fact that no matter what... everything would always be blackness to him. "How... I should've been burned to a crisp..." Thinking this, he began to notice the dull burning on his skin. Slowly, he sat up. Wishing he could see the damage that he had been done to him.

**Shush now Father. You are safe now. We can see you only have a few cuts and bruises. Your skin is just a bit sunburned. You shall live. **

"You...can see? But how? I cannot see..." He felt the tentacles shift and coil around him.

**We were not affected. You are weak, Father, but we are strong. We could not let you die.**

"You stupid, meddlesome things! Can't you see I wanted to die? I want... I want my Rosie. Oh Rose." He felt tears fill his eyes, desperately wishing he could get rid of the hideous things that were attached to his back.

**Do not think of her! **The arms cried sharply, **She only gives you pain. Do you think she wanted you to give up? Would she want you to commit suicide?**

"But I was saving the lives of others..." He cried bitterly, trying to turn his back on them. The interrupted him, clearly annoyed at his blubbering.

**Yes. But you had a chance to live so we saved you. Rosie would have wanted you to at least try to live. You didn't try...and that's where we came in.**

Otto began to growl, his face turning into a snarl. "Don't you dare speak of my Rosie; you did not know her like I did."

This time the arms did not seem to notice his anger. Instead they said calmly. **You are yet so weak. Without us, you would have been nothing...**

"...without you, I would be having a life as a normal man with my wife, my Rosie." He spat back at them. Then he eased himself up slowly, using the tree as help to get up.

The tentacles swayed as he tottered a moment on his feet. They watched him with mild curiosity. Their glowing "eyes" staring at him, giving an eerie cold feeling to Otto.

**Father...**

He waved them away irritably, stumbling along. He wanted to run, to hide from the monstrous things that had made his life hell. A feeling of helplessness came over him. He could not see; he was blind. How could he run his life if he wasn't able to see where he was going, what he was doing?

And what chilled him was that the arms could see. Without him, they could see, and if they overcame him again, he would be blind from everything.

**Father...**

He heard their hypnotic voices sounding in his head; he remembered the last time this had happened. When he had found the pier, they had used that voice so many times, hypnotizing him, confusing his mind. He clutched at his head, sinking to the ground, "Don't...not again." He whimpered.

**Oh Father, you are so weak. Inside and out. But we will help you to become strong like you once were...**

He shook his head frantically, "I am not ever going to do that experiment again."

**Of course not. **The arms purred inside his mind. **It has failed twice; we shall find some other thing to do.**

"I don't want another thing to do. I just wanted to die, and you interfered in that too!"

**We were not the one's who interfered. Spider-Man interfered. Peter interfered.**

Otto's mind swirled at the madness of it all, remembering Peter as he said his experiment might not work. It didn't work...and look where it left him. He tried to get rid of the subject that the arms were leading to. "I'm hungry. How long was I...unconscious?"

**Two days, Father.**

He heard a click and a whirr by his head, and he knew they were facing him now, watching him. He shuddered at the thought.

**Father. Let us carry you. We have found a place to stay.**

He started to protest but already he could feel his feet leave the ground. He had once found this exhilarating. Now he found it terrifying, especially when he could not see a thing.

They traveled onward; he shifted, trying to figure out something without his eyes. He felt the warmth of the humid air leave his skin, and a cool darkness seemed to lay him, his mind reeled with terror.

Sensing his fear, the arms assured him. **Do not fret, Father. We are in a cave now.**

"A cave?" He asked, wishing that they would not be so mysterious. Better yet, he wished they weren't even there. Sighing, he hung limp, knowing it would be no sense in trying to walk on his own. He had tried it before but they always got the best of him. He yelped slightly when his shoulder rubbed against the stones of the cave, as it seemed he had an open wound there. Immediately the arms lowered themselves a bit, in order not to hurt him.

"What time of the day is it?" He mumbled quietly, as though ashamed that he did not know that himself.

**Night.**

Otto was almost shocked to hear their response. They did not seem interested in him at the moment. In fact, it was almost weird how short their response had been. He was used to their things to say. Rarely did they be unsociable to him.

They lowered to the ground and settled him on his own feet, feeling his awkwardness, they steadied him.

"What...is going on?" He asked in an almost dazed matter, a bitter feeling of the loss of sight.

**Why do you ask Father, do you not trust us? You made us; you wouldn't make something vile or hostile.**

Octavius blinked. It's like they read his thoughts, his mind. Which of course: they probably did. He hated that, how he wished for his own privacy.

As he slowly sat down, something wet and slimy was set in his hand. Immediately, he let go off it, not being able to know what it was. "What was that!" He burst out, terribly freaked at the moment.

The arms seemed to tsk him. **Father. Its food, it's a fish we found in the lake while you were just waking up.**

Almost embarrassed, he picked it up again, rubbing off the sand that had stuck to it. He grumbled with annoyance, "Well, you could've at least told me what it was before plopping it in my hand." He stopped. "This is raw." He stated.

**Of course it's raw! **

"What...do you want me sick? It needs to be cooked doesn't it?" The arms simply 'said' nothing.

He threw his hands up in the air with annoyance. He knew how to make fire, they didn't. He was blind and they weren't. How in the world was this going to work? He growled ruefully as he said his next comment. "I'm going to need your help."

He sensed the arms happiness that he was finally getting over his accident. Immediately, they swiveled their heads and looked at him keenly, waiting for his instructions.

He shivered. Partly from the strange eerie feeling that came off the tentacles, the other half from the cold. He wrapped his trench coat around him tighter but found now warmth. The coat was drenched and rips were in patches everywhere.

He groped around blindly in the dark for a sharp piece of rock. Seeing his intentions, the arms picked up a rock slightly larger than his hand but sharp. Ignoring the fact that they were taking control of everything he grabbed it. Then hacked the rock over and over with another rock he had found. He did it for quite some time until the arms seemed awed.

**Father! What was that?**

Otto Octavius chuckled by their perplexed behavior. "That was a spark; I am trying to make a fire." He did not need to see to know what it was they were talking about. "We need some kindle, wood." He instructed them. As soon as it came out of his mouth, the arms stretched themselves around, grabbing up all the dry wood they could find.

As they searched, he found himself puzzled. Why was he so worried of getting sick from the fish? Just two days ago he wanted to die. He did want to die, didn't he? The question kept running back into his thoughts every ten minutes. Did he want to die, or not? Soon, these deep thoughts were shoved away as the tentacles returned with a bundle a wood.

**We have the wood, Father. Where do you wish to have it?**

He shook his head with irritation then turned his head toward his creations. He kicked his foot at a circle of rocks he had made while they were searching for wood. "Put it in the circle. There we go."

Ten minutes later, they had a warm raging fire. Otto almost laughed at their curiosity in the fire. They almost seemed to admire him now, and he felt a bit more content. They were treating him like they did before, and for the time being, he wasn't worried because of that.

**It's like that fusion reaction!**

Octavius's head shot up, his brow troubled. Why did they bring that up, they knew he did not like to discuss of that subject. He knew where his concerns were leading him once again, but before he could stop it, it lingered back to the one thing that haunted his mind. Rosie.

He physically sagged and the arms seemed to notice it. Instantly they were worrying over him, **Father. We did not mean to. What is it?**

He leaned back, hunger gone, and feeling sick to his stomach. Without meaning to, he started to mumble. Not realizing that the arms were hearing his every word. Not caring. "My Rosie died because of me. Why must I be tortured to no end of this guilt...why did I live? I could've died. I should've."

They cooed over him, wishing to get him off the subject. **Hush Father. Do not thing of her anymore; she only brings sadness upon you. Go to sleep, you need your rest.**

He groaned with despair as the tentacles coiled around him. "Sleep?" He said warily, only partially noticing the arms were taking control of him once again. Their hypnotizing voices echoed in his head, softly, almost lovingly.

**Go to sleep, dear Father. Do not dwell upon her. She would not want you like this. Rest yourself.**

His eyes drooped as the arms started to stroke his head, all the while cooing over him. He tried to stay awake, tried to hide a yawn. Tried to hide weakness from the arms...but it was no use. His eyes drooped with tired weariness, his chin resting on his chest. Finally, he could not take any it longer. Unaware; he fell into a deep slumber.  
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Moon Avenger: Thank you for the review! Here's to put you in better hopes.. he survived! In my story anyway...

docockwolfgirl17: Lol, yep, I'm now officially a big Ock fan and Alfred Molina fan! Thank you for the review!

shir-ran: You think so? Thanks! Lol, I know, I'm not all that great with titles..

Agent Silver: Thank you so much, I always felt the same way when I read that last line, so I finally felt I had to do something about it...

DocOcksGirl31: Thank you so very much, I'm sorry about all the confusion of the last one...

hpnjdevanescence: Grins Thanks...

And to all the other who read but did not review, thank you still! I enjoy writing about Otto!:D


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel or Spiderman 2 characters yada yada... though the Andy and Liz I do...

Author's Note: I'm REALLY sorry about how long this took. School's been a bug. And I got stuck at one point.. the article part of course. (I got help on that from another Ock/Alfred lover..) But I've finally got this done. So enjoy!

Chapter 2

Gradually, Otto started to awaken, his confused head aching dully. He opened his eyes and was met with that never-ending darkness. And he remembered. He remembered he never died, that his arms had saved him from death and because of it, he was blind. People were always warned not to look at the far off sun; he had been standing right under it, staring up at it.

He groaned and stretched out his cramped legs, stretching his arms out. Then, as soon as he started, he stopped. His tentacles were being unusually quiet; he had almost forgotten they were there.

He craned his neck, knowing it would be useless to see but tried to hear at least. He heard a scratching to his left and then a tentacle seemed to appear out of nowhere beside him.

**Father, we are here.**

"Course you are," He grumbled irritably. Slowly, he began to shuffle over to the entrance of the cave. He felt the other three tentacles coil to his sides and he could tell they were about to lift him up. "Don't." He said firmly, he wanted a stick. He wanted a long stick that could help him know if there was anything he might trip over. He did NOT want his tentacles to move him or tell him where to go. He still had some pride left, some dignity.

Feeling foolish, he felt his way over to an old oak tree and broke off a branch. He let his hands run along the branch, measuring how long it was and found it suitable. All the while, his arms were silent as he lowered the stick to the ground, waving it across the ground as he moved.

He had always felt a deep respect towards blind people, but now that he was blind he did not have that feeling anymore. The feeling of helplessness was overwhelming; to not be able to see was horrible for him, horrible for a scientist. He would never go back to being a scientist now; but he guessed he wouldn't have anyway with the tentacles protruding from his back.

By now he was growing slightly annoyed from the silence. He was used to the voices in his head, and with them being silent, he almost felt insecure. Sure, this would help him not walk into things, but it did not tell him where he was going. Angrily he threw down the stick, and waited for a response. They were silent for awhile, then...

**We have been working out things, Father; while you were sleeping.**

"And what are those...things?" He said warily, but partly relieved to hear their soothing voices.

They did not answer his question though. **We will help you Father, but you must cooperate with us.**

He went silent, not liking the sound of this. Planning on things behind his back, they were being downright mysterious and secretive with him. Things were coming down too fast on him; he wanted to get away from all this madness.

**We're going tomorrow.**

A hushed silence. Then, "What do you mean?"

**We're leaving for the city, tomorrow.**

"What! When was this arranged? I never heard of it!" He cried out, his anger starting to rise.

**Course you didn't. You do not know what is best, so we arranged it for you.**

"I never asked for you to arrange anything for me!"

**No you didn't...**

"Then why did you do it?"

**Oh Father! Why do you think? You are weak, yet we are strong. We know what is best, and have made plans for ourselves and you.**

"But...but I don't want to go back there!" He stuttered back. He was sick of the hate and fear in everyone's eyes that he had seen the last time he was there. He was sick of being known as a murderous maniac that no one cared for. He was sick...

**But you will not see the hate and fear. **

Irritated he responded back, "Stop that! Stop looking into my head, seeing my thoughts!" At this, they grew silent for the moment. Still glowering, he started to trudge back in the direction of the cave, not caring that the tentacles were partly helping him get there without going the wrong direction.

He didn't feel the least bit guilty of his outburst. He didn't always need to agree with them, he didn't always need to let them control him. He could be angry when he wanted, who were they to take control of everything in his life? No, he should get more freedom, more choice. They would just have to accept that.

He could tell he was getting to the cave because of the drop of temperature. The cave got rather chilly and sometimes he wondered why he stayed there. When winter came, he'd better find another place to stay unless he wanted to shiver in his worn trench coat all winter. And the tentacles were little comfort to warmth, seeing as how they were machines. Sure they could block a harsh wind by curling around him protectively but if it was cold out and they made contact with his skin, it usually followed up in a chill coursing up his spine. And sometimes the reason wasn't always because of cold.

He sighed, easing himself on the ground and felt the tentacles coil around him. He cringed, but then found him absently putting a hand on the head of one. Sure, he could deeply despise these...creatures at times. But he still couldn't help feeling a bit happy they were there. They gave him the little comfort he couldn't have, probably that he'd never have again. _Don't think like that. _He scolded himself; _you'll get out of this nightmare somehow..._

He gazed off in his blindness, thinking all the while. He couldn't believe how it was so peaceful...sometimes too peaceful. He could think without any distractions, because his sight was gone. He didn't see any movement or change because everything was black. He could go on and think like this forever, and not one distraction...

**Father?**

Except that one.

**Father...**

Otto sighed and leaned his head back against the cave wall, a weary sigh escaping his lips. "What now?"

**We have to do it. You know we do.**

He didn't have to ask them what they meant. He hated to admit it, but they were right. He couldn't stay here forever; he had to go into the city at some point.

"Maybe so...but why so soo..."

He was cut off by sharp click, and he felt the tentacles jerk in response. He heard them start hissing madly, clacking their claws with mad intensity.

"What is it? What's the matter?" Otto asked with concern, wondering where the click came from...it sounded familiar...

**How dare him! What are they doing here?!**

Before Octavius could ask what the arms meant he heard arguing coming from the entrance of the cave. The first voice was a girl's. "Andy, you idiot; I told you not to take a picture, I think he heard you!"

"Pipe down Liz, it's not my camera that's going to hear us, it's your jabbering mouth!" A boy this time; "Now shut-up and let's get out of here! Boy, and everyone thought he was dead. Wait till we show the newspapers..."

In an instant, the tentacles were there. Octavius heard a scream from both the kids and his eyes widened. He couldn't let his tentacles do any more harm that he'd already done. "Stop!" He shouted out, grabbing at his mechanical arms. They ignored him as they grabbed the camera out of the boy's hand and crushed it.

"Hey! That was my dad's, what did you do that for?" He heard the boy gripe, followed by a yelp of fear as the two of the tentacles advanced for them, while the other two blocked any escape.

"Stop it," Otto pleaded at his creations. "...don't kill them at least!"

He heard the tentacles mentally sigh as they obliged. **Alright Father, but they cannot go. We can't have Spiderman know we have lived just yet...**

He reluctantly agreed, at least he would not have two other deaths on his hands. It was then that he noticed the silence of the two and felt as if he was being stared at. _Well duh, _he thought to himself, _who wouldn't be staring at you? _Then he realized he'd been talking out loud to the tentacles, and he felt the nape of his neck turn hot. Most likely he was blushing. He would have to get out of the habit of talking to his tentacles out loud. No one else could hear them, so most likely they would think he was insane. Not that they thought that already. He sighed and turned away, though his tentacles remained by the kids. _Nobody understands..._

"Dude you creep, why'd you have to wreck my camera?" The boy snapped. Otto found himself startled by the boy's confidence...and annoyed. He wasn't a creep...at least HE wasn't, his arms on the other hand... "Can't have you putting the news all over the city that I'm alive," He mumbled, loudly enough for the kid to hear.

Still, he kept his back to the two kids. The boy wasn't one to give up easily, Otto would give him that. "What, they're going to find out sooner or later! You think you can just sit out here forever? You know what Liz," The boy, or Andy, turned to the girl. "I think he's afraid of Spider-man." Octavius's felt a prickle of anger jump into his emotions, half from the tentacles and half because he was actually insulted. "I am NOT afraid of that...bug." He spat, but still did not turn around. But he could tell the arms were waving menacingly over the kids.

Still the boy did not have the good sense to be quiet. "Yeah, you're like a mouse hiding from the hawk. And Spider-Man's the hawk. I always knew you were gutless."

That did it, despite the aches and pains on his body; the pain seemed to subside as the anger came on full force. "I AM NOT afraid of him!" He whirled around, his fists clenching, feeling the tentacle grab the boy around the waist, and squeezed hard enough for the boy to gasp in pain.

Otto found himself smirking cruelly as the boy tried to struggle out of his grasp. The boy groaned, yet tried to stifle it. This made Otto smirk even more, the boy was trying to keep his pride.

He wanted to squeeze harder, and harder still, make the boy suffer. Kill the boy; yes kill him...but...

"No!" Otto Octavius snapped out of it, he was becoming Ock once more; he couldn't have it happen again. He backed up and scolded the arms, and surprisingly they loosened their grip. But only a little bit.

Then as the boy caught his breath a bit easily, Otto heard the girl gasp... "Oh my gosh! Are you...are you blind?"

He stiffened, and quickly turned around; he guessed they were around 14 or 16. That comment had struck a nerve; he did not want anyone to know of his predicament. It was obviously a new weakness, and he'd rather not have Spider-man know of it. Or Peter Parker, as it were.

The silence however, answered her question. The boy clutched at his waste and coughed. Then he straightened up, "Whoa awesome...wait till Spiderman hears of this!"

"He will not hear any such thing!" He spat bitterly. "Because you two aren't leaving here, not since you found me. I don't need the press crawling around here, mixed in with the annoying police. Trying to get a story and capture me at the same time..."

"But we...we won't tell anyone!" The girl argued.

"What?! Cripes, Liz, course we're going to tell people. We'll be famous for this; we might even be rewarded..." He was cut off by a glare of Liz's.

Otto quirked an eyebrow; glaring at the kids with sightless eyes, "I thought as much," He said off-handedly and turned around, trying to look busy. But really, he had nothing to do. He didn't want to show that to them though, he too, had his pride.

"But what about our families; they'll call the police, you know they will. They'll know something is up!" The girl warned him.

Otto felt himself slipping away, more and more it seemed he was losing control of himself. "Well, what do you think they'll think now? That some abductor took you two, or a madman that is supposed to be dead?" He replied and then added indifferently, "You two were the ones that decided to risk a picture."

"But..." He interrupted her, "And what were you doing down here anyway?"

There was an uncomfortable silence, then...

"We didn't believe you actually died. The story was too vague...too simple." The boy answered, exchanging glances with his sister.

One of the tentacles coiled back to him and nudged something in his hands.

_What now?_

**The girl had it Father; it's a bag of things. **Knowing he could not see, they continued on. **They have a Daily Bugle newspaper in here too.**

Otto slipped the newspaper out of the bag, frowning. The way the tentacles mentioned it out of the other things bothered him. _Give it to the girl. _He told his tentacles, they did so, knowing what was on his mind.

He heard her squeak as the tentacle curled it's way to her and then a confused gasp as the paper was dropped on her lap. "Read it." He said shortly.

He heard a shuddering gulp, "R-read it?"

He only nodded.

**RAMPAGE AT THE RIVERSIDE**  
**DOC OCK DECEASED - WEBSLINGER STILL AT LARGE**  
  
By J. Jonah Jameson  
  
A scene of massive carnage took place by the river last night, as crime partners Spiderman and Dr. Otto Octavius had a falling out.  
  
The reason for the dispute is uncertain at this time, however it is this reporter's opinion that the two master criminals probably quarreled about divvying up the loot from the National Bank robbery they had pulled off earlier this month. Dr. Octavius, aka 'Doc Ock', had used most of the funds to rebuild his infernal machine, while Spiderman undoubtedly intended to keep most of it for himself. The ensuing battle caused Doc Ock's creation to sink to the bottom of the river, and resulted in immense property damage, estimated at over $100,000.  
  
The mad scientist fought to his last breath to keep his invention afloat, but was bested by his partner, who used his web-like threads to bind the tentacled terror to his own machine, causing him to drown. NYPD and Fire marshals arrived at the scene but were too late to apprehend the surviving member of the robbing pair - Spiderman had disappeared without a trace, as he had done so many times before.  
  
The only remaining witness, actress Mary Jane Watson, was rescued and suffered no serious injuries. Watson, fiancé of Astronaut and local hero John Jameson, was kidnapped by Doc Ock earlier that day for ransom purposes. She remains reluctant to aid authorities in the capture of Spiderman, probably in fear of retaliation by him. We can only hope and pray that this dangerous menace won't elude the police for much longer.

Nervously the girl looked up, Ock of course did not see but this time neither did the tentacles. Both were shaking with rage. Otto was losing his sane side, and this time he didn't fight as much. Scientist he may be, but this was an outrage. He was furious.

"Partners," Ock snarled, "Fought to my last death?!" The tentacles snapped their claws in their fury, but also hissing with excitement. The time to leave, was now.

He steadied himself and then, without a glance to either of them, (wouldn't have been much of a difference anyway) he stomped out of the cave.

He stopped once he got to the edge of the river, forgetting what was very important; what Spiderman was not to know. "Glasses?" He muttered to his mechanical arms. Obligingly, they set them upon him, as if they had been waiting for him to give permission.

"I shall need your help. This will not be easy; I will need your eyes." He could almost hear the tentacles purr with their delight. He smiled himself, he was back in business- and this time no one would stop him. Not even Parker.


End file.
